26 Aug

I have many people ask me what it means to be Wiccan and I must admit that I spend a good amount of time thinking about those things myself. Although there isnâ€™t much in the way of universality when it comes to Wicca, there are some principles that we do try to adhere to. I thought now was as good of a time as any to talk about some of those.

1. Harmony
The world is made up of sounds and vibrations, creating a musical harmony. At the very heart of Wicca is the idea that we must have harmony with the natural world as well as with the rhythm of life, since harmony is one of the Truths.

2. The One Divine
Although we might talk about the Goddess (yin) and the fathergod (yang), The Great Mystery is truly genderless and even somewhat incomprehensible to our 3-dimensional brains. Within the universe, we might separate powers into feminine and masculine forms in order to understand them, but the actual truths donâ€™t really add up to our own concepts of man and woman. They are omnipresent.
3. The Equality of All Beings
The Great Mystery is present within everything that exists. This means that the Divine is in every rock, tree, creek, and person. This means that everything should be treated with respect and equality.

4. All Is Sacred
Because the Divine exists in all things, this also means that everything is sacred and should be treated as such. Even our bodies should be treated as temples, since the Divine lives within them.

5. Nothing is Gone Forever
You can never really lose anything for good since everything is a part of the circle of life. Matter can change and energy can alter, but it canâ€™t truly be destroyed. When the timing is right, everything will emerge again in a new form. This is one way of looking at death as well.

6. Bring No Harm to Others
Because we are all part of the same mystery, it is important not to bring any harm to others since by doing this we are also harming ourselves. Instead of harming others, we should try to serve our Purpose instead. All of our actions eventually come back to us again so living a life that does not bring pain to others is ideal.

7. Listen to the Heart

Since the heart acts as the voice of the Divine, we consider it our highest authority. (Itâ€™s difficult to rely on the brain.) When you follow your heart, you are following a guide that is true.

8. False Power is Not Real Power

If you gain power and use it for force, then itâ€™s not real power that you possess. You risk violating the philosophies behind Wiccan beliefs if you try to accumulate power into your hands and use it for something that is detrimental to those around you.

9. Serving The Divine

Like most things, the Divine is ever-changing. In order to thrive, the Divine depends on us for balance. Living our dreams and fulfilling our potential is just one way of giving thanks and returning gratitude for all that we have received. It is important to use your talents to the best of your ability. You were given them for a reason.

10. Having Personal Responsibility

Each person is responsible for their own actions, words, and decisions. You are also responsible for your inactions. There is power contained in everything that you do, including your thoughts, and itâ€™s important to take personal responsibility for the things that you do.

There are many more important principles to consider, of course, but there are certainly some of my favorites. I especially try to adhere to the personal responsibility and try to instill that within my own children. For awhile, when my oldest child was first learning to walk, whenever he would fall down or run into something we would slap that object and say, â€œBad table!â€ However, I soon learned the folly of my ways. This was not teaching my child to be careful-it was blaming the table! That was not helpful at all.

As a parent, it can be especially difficult to try to follow your own path when you really just want whatâ€™s best for your children. It is important, however, to try to maintain some balance in that-to use your talents as well as provide food and shelter and stability for them.

I do hope that everyone is having a productive and peaceful week and that you are able to stop, take some time, and appreciate those that are in your life and the many blessings that you have. Sometimes, we get so busy and overwhelmed with the little things that we forget to stop and see the big picture.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring â€œResident Witch In Chargeâ€

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19 Aug

With so much misinformation existing regarding Wiccans and Witches alike, I thought I would take a minute to write about some of the common myths that surround us and why theyâ€™re wrong to begin with.

Although some myths start out innocently enough and are based on misunderstandings, others were intentionally started as a means of encouraging hostility and even hatred and punishment of those who practiced the Craft. Because this still exists today and people are still being ostracized for their religious beliefs, no matter how peacefully they may practice them, itâ€™s important to educate people when you can.

Of course, we also donâ€™t want to be walking information booths, either. That would be tiring and there are some people that no matter how hard you try, youâ€™re just not going to get through to.

Myth 1: Witches and Wiccans practice human sacrifice.
Truth: This has deep roots and itâ€™s hard to know where it came from. While anthropologists will argue that Druids practiced human sacrifice, itâ€™s hard to say, really, if this is true. Itâ€™s important, however, to note that Paganism has many branches and is an umbrella term that envelopes many different people. Throughout the years, a lot of religions have used human sacrifice in some form or another-whether it was for ceremonial rituals or to simply make statements. (Look at how many victims the Crusades had, along with other religious wars. I would argue that these were human sacrifices, just done under another term.) Wicca, as a rule, does not condone human sacrifices. We do not require the blood of a newborn (how horrible!) or anyone else. Many times, this gets confused with Satanism, which is a whole other ballgame.

Myth 2: If you are a Witch, then you must be Wicca.
Truth: Not necessarily. In terms of history, Wicca is a relatively new term that is used to encompass very old beliefs. There are a lot of different areas of Paganism and itâ€™s very possible to be a practicing witch, but to not necessarily be Wiccan. In fact, there are some Witches that donâ€™t really consider themselves to follow any one part of Paganism and are solitary, just as there are solitary Wiccans.

Myth 3: You have to belong to a coven.
Truth: This isnâ€™t true, either. You CAN belong to a coven if you feel that you can practice in a more rewarding manner. You donâ€™t have to, however. There are lots of solitary Wiccans and Witches. There are some that practice within covens as well as on their own. There is no rule saying that you have to join a group.

Myth 4: You have to perform rituals naked (skyclad).
Truth: We do not demand that you take off your clothes to perform a ritual. As a matter of fact, if you live in the city or have nosy neighbors, then I would recommend that you donâ€™t. While some Witches and Wiccans like doing this, others find it uncomfortable. Itâ€™s a personal choice.

Myth 5: Your spells have to rhyme.
Truth: This is a funny one for me. I know someone who read a fiction book about witches and they informed me that every time one of the witches performed a spell their words always rhymed, even when they came up with it on the spur of the moment. Now, I like the idea of rhyming and on occasion mine have. However, I have to admit that sometimes I just canâ€™t think that quickly. If I spend my time trying to make the thing rhyme, I lose a lot of precious energy. If I have the time to really think about it, though, and itâ€™s a ritual or spell that I want to use again in the future then I might go that extra step. Rhyming is not necessary, but it does give a chant a certain flow, which might make it easier to repeat.

Myth 6: We worship the devil.
Truth: Yes, Iâ€™m sure youâ€™ve heard this one many times. No, we do not worship the devil. The devil, as I have said many times before, is a Christian concept and Christianity is not something that we typically follow. (I say â€œtypicallyâ€ because I actually do know a few Christians who also dabble in witchcraft, although they would never use that word.) We do believe in a form of evil and Iâ€™ll get into that another time, but we certainly wouldnâ€™t worship it.

Myth 7: We can fly.
Truth: Oh, I wish we could! Wouldnâ€™t that be fun! Not to mention a gas-saver, too. Unfortunately, we canâ€™t fly. Some people are able to use astral projection which can probably FEEL like flying to them, but their physical body remains behind. There are also those who are able to levitate, but again, weâ€™re talking a few inches-certainly not enough to send them over the ocean.

Most of the time, I let the misconceptions make me laugh. Sometimes, they hurt my feelings. The best that we can do, though, is to shake our heads and try to explain them and then move on. Donâ€™t let negative energy take over.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge

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12 Aug

You may have heard someone claim that their â€œelementâ€ is fire or that theirs is water. Do we all have elements, are they unchanging, and what does it mean if we donâ€™t identify with one particular element?

There are, of course, four elements: earth, wind, fire, and water. Knowing which element you associate with can help you harness in your own unique energy and draw energy from other sources. However, knowing your element can be trickier than it sounds.

Some people go strictly by their astrological signs. If they are a Pisces, then their element is water. While this isnâ€™t a foolproof way of determining your element, it does have its advantages in that it takes out some of the guesswork.

Still, not everyone identifies with their astrological sign. I know some Pisces, for example, who are afraid of water and donâ€™t derive any type of energy from being around it-not positive energy anyway. I also know some fire signs who are deathly afraid of fire so having fire as their element doesnâ€™t feel right for them.

Of course, you can always find quizzes on the Internet that are more than happy to tell you what your element is and all you have to do is answer a few simple questions! So, do these work? Not usually. For one thing, you have no idea who has made these quizzes out and for another, you usually answer questions like these depending on what your mood is at the time. Theyâ€™re very situation specific so while the results might be indicative of what youâ€™re feeling then, they are probably not a good indication of what you might feel long-term.

Sometimes, your element may simply call to you. You might be standing by a large body of water and feel an incredible surge of energy and power and just know that water is indeed your element. Or, you might be working in your garden and feel the loose bits of soil between your fingers and have a feeling that your power lies in earth. Being near your element could make you feel peaceful, powerful, and in charge.

On the other hand, you could possibly feel these things around multiple elements. I know that at times I feel very charged around air, but I also get the same feeling around water.

There are certain â€œpersonality typesâ€ that tend to correspond with the elements so if you fit one of these, then it could help you determine your element.

Those who have fire as their element are typically associated with enthusiastic and spontaneous personalities. As the name implies, they can be considered â€œfieryâ€ and are usually pretty self-sufficient. They can also be forceful and sometimes a little overbearing, but they almost always get things done.

Earth signs, though, can also be very dependable and â€œearthyâ€ for lack of a better word. Like the word would suggest, earth elements are solid, practical, and even sensual. They are healing and nurturing and comforting.

Some people think that those with air as their element can be flighty, but more often than not they are actually very intelligent and articulate. They often like to get into philosophical debates because they enjoy abstract reasoning. The â€œflightinessâ€ might come into play with the fact that they can at times be impractical, but mostly they are simply idealistic.

Water is one of the easiest elements to tell. Water people are almost always emotional, receptive, sensitive, and very feeling. They are sympathetic to others and sometimes get accused of wearing their hearts on their sleeves. They are romantics and tend to fall in love easily, but they can also just as easily turn that love into something else.

Iâ€™m not entirely sure that your element has to be one specific thing or that it canâ€™t change over the years. If you can change from the maiden to the crone, then I think itâ€™s also possible that your element can change from water to fire. Are they both not opposites of each other?

Perhaps you donâ€™t identify with one particular element at all, but find something that calls to you in all of them. There is nothing that says that you must have one specific element that is associated with you. Although in the movie â€œThe Craftâ€ the girls want to have 4 people in their coven so that they can call on a higher power, you can create just as much power with one person or even six people. There is no â€œsetâ€ number to practice witchcraft and sometimes, more than one person within your coven will share the same element. (Unless, of course, the coven wants each member to possess a different element, but that would be specific to that coven.)

All in all, this is not something that you should feel stressed about determining. If an element calls to you, then chances are that the element is the one for you. If none of them or all of them call to you, however, then thatâ€™s fine as well.

Brightest blessings,

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05 Aug

You might have heard someone refer to casting a circle and â€œcalling the quartersâ€ or you may simply have heard it referred to as â€œcalling the elements.â€ Although Iâ€™m sure youâ€™re already familiar with the elements (earth, fire, water, and air) I thought I would write a little bit about why the elements might be called in the first place, as well as the easiest way to go about doing so.

Once you have cast your circle, itâ€™s important to create a sacred space in which to perform your ritual in. This is sometimes called the â€œspiritual plane.â€ When you cast a circle, you are able to contain energy that you raise so that you are able to use it and direct it. Your circle will also serve to protect you and others that are inside of it from negative influences.

Calling the Quarters to the circle can help you gain added protection. This is one of the main reasons why we call them to begin with. Of course, having all four elements on hand will also give you added energy.

If you have seen â€œThe Craftâ€ the characters in the movie make it appear as though you need four people, one for each element. This is not entirely true. You can call the elements on your own and still get all four of them. If youâ€™re not used to doing it, however, you might want to work with one at a time until you get more adept at it.

Along with the four elements, you will also be working with directions. Most people begin with the East and first call Air, then call Fire to the South, Water for the West, and lastly Earth in the North. This is not a written rule, however. You can start with North if you wish.

Calling the elements into the circle can be overwhelming if youâ€™re not used to it, but it doesnâ€™t have to be scary. Letâ€™s start with fireâ€¦(Which, by the way, doesnâ€™t have to correspond with South. It might be your West.)
When calling on the Elemental Planes, you are invoking it into your Circle so itâ€™s important not to abuse any power. Sometimes, people call Guardians of the Fire which are embodiments of the Elemental energy. Try envisioning things that are associated with fire and as you do, imagine a form that you can associate with a Guardian. Might it be a Phoenix, rising out of the ashes? Or is it a scorpion, known for its hot, stinging bite?

When you call Fire, think about your Guardian and try to visualize it within your circle. You want to be able to access the energy there and to feel it. Imagine heat, power, colors (if colors appeal to you when you think of Fire) and focus on the energy that these things bring. Itâ€™s not just enough to say the words, you must feel them as well.

Fire might just be one of the easier ones, but it doesnâ€™t have to be. I always get a wave of energy when I think of air as well. I imagine myself going down the hill of a large rollercoaster, my hair whipping out behind me, the wind rushing against my face. Maybe your Guardian of Air is a bird or a mighty hawk. Who knows-it might even be a flying squirrel! There is no rule here.

Until you get familiar with each one, you might want to work with the elements on an individual level. This might help them seem less overwhelming.

Once you have invoked them, you will need to control them. Some people actually see shapes within their circle and are able to call them out and control them. Others donâ€™t actually see anything physical, but feel them. Whichever one comes to you, itâ€™s important to send that element to its place in the circle (one of the four corners) and to tell it to guard that particular direction.

After your Elementals are all in your Circle, it will be complete. You should feel a difference now, although what that feeling may be can vary. You might feel each of the elements in a different way and then feel a completely different way altogether once they are all in place.

When telling them to protect your Circle, you will probably want to use words. The words are not necessarily as important as the sentiment, but there is a fairly standard set that you can use if you wish. It goes like this:

All hail the Watchtower of the (East, South, West, North).
The Element of (Air, Fire, Water, Earth)
I do summon and call you forth
To guard and protect this Circle.
Be hereâ€¦Now
Once you have done this several times, it will come as second nature to you and feel much more natural.
For simple rituals, you might not need to call the elements. However, if you feel as though you need extra protection or for a ritual that calls for a lot of energy itâ€™s really something that I wuld strongly urge you to consider.

Brightest blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring â€œResident Witch In Chargeâ€

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